The National Coordinator of Advocates for People’s Rights and Justice, Victor Giwa, has declared the planned conduct of local government elections in Rivers State by the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), as illegal.

Giwa, speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, insisted that any election organised under Ibas would be unconstitutional and invalid.

He stated that Ibas is not constitutionally empowered to appoint a Chairman for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

Reacting to the planned August 30th local government polls, Giwa stressed that the appointment of a Sole Administrator to oversee such elections contravenes Nigeria’s democratic and constitutional provisions.

Giwa said, “I am shocked to learn that the Rivers State Sole Administrator appointed the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission and has even agreed to conduct elections on the 30th of August.

“He has no legal authority to do so, as he is not the Governor of the State.

“The only reason why a sole administrator is appointed is for the prevention of breakdown of law and order, or ensuring that there is peace and order where there is a likelihood of breakdown of order.

“The general purpose is to ensure that the security of the state, properties and lives are protected.

“I want to submit that under the law the sole administrator cannot, he’s not legally permitted to appoint, firstly, the Chairman of Rivers state Electoral Commission.

“Under the Rivers state electrical commission law of 2018, that law says that the Chairman…, the agency, shall compose of seven members, including the chairman, who shall be appointed by the governor of the state, screened and confirmed by the State House of Assembly.

“Question, the sole administrator is not a governor of the state. He was not elected under any law. Number two, there is currently no state House of Assembly that can screen and confirm the chairman that he appointed on the eighth of April, 2025.

“So my submission, therefore, is that the state administrator cannot conduct that election. That election, if conducted, will be illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.”